Rail-tie.



w. H. MAYE'B. e I. o. BURUH.v

BAIL TTB.

APPLIUATIOK FILED IAR. 7, 1908.

, 898,982, Patented sept 15,1908.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM II. MAYER AXD IRA O. BURCH, OF KAXSAS, ILLINOIS.

RAIL-TIE.

No.v 898,982.

T o all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, IiLLL-xu H. MATER and IRA O. Benoit, citizens of the United States, residing at Kansas, in the county of Edgar and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rail-Ties, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to metallic railway ties and fasteners, and the object of the invention is to provide a liollowtie of this character, which shall be simple in construction, durable in use, and comparatively inexpensive of production, and a fastening b v means of which the rails may be securely locked without the employment of spikes or bolts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a. hollow rail tie, of a peculiar formation by which the ballast of' the road bed will form a substantial wedge between the ties and prevent the ties from sluing or becoming loosened from the road bed.

IYith these objects in view the invention resides in the novel construction of rail ties and fasteners hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top `plan viewof theimproved rail tie. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view upon the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a similar section taken through the key receiving recess of the tie. Fig. 5 is a similar view upon the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a rail key. Fig. 7 is a similar view of the locking key. Fig. S is a. similar view of the wedge key.

In the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 designates the improved rail tie. This rail tie 1 is constructed of a hollow meinber, having a flat base 2 and angular sides 3,

slaiitiiig toward the rounded top 4. The ends of the tie are provided with walls 5, extending upwardly from the base 2 1 suitable distance, as illust-rated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. The top or face 4 of the tie is provided with flattened surfaces 6, adapted for the reception of the rails. The face 4 of the j tie is also provided with 'a transveisely eX- tending lip 7, arranged upon the flattened surfaces 6 adjacent the ends of the tie and adapted for the reception of the base'flange S of the rails 9. The flattened surface 6 is provided with a longitudinal recess 1(), adjacent the flange S of the rails opposite the edges of the flanges engaged by the lips 7. The walls of the longitudinal recess 1() have reinforce- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 7, 1908.

Patented Sept. 15, 1908.

Serial No. 419,820.

ments beneath the under surface of the top 4. The longitudinally extending walls of the recesses 1() are substantialiy vertical, the walls nearest the center of thc tie are inclined, and the walls adjacent the inner edges of the flanges of the rails are provided with an ofset 11.

In positioning the rails upon our improved ties, the outer flanges of the rails are engaged by the. lips 7, and to secure the rails upon the ties we have provided a rail key 12, having a head 13, adapted to engage the inner edge of flange of the rails, and provided with an inwardly projecting portion 14 adapted to engage tlie offset 11 of the longitudinal cut away portion 1(). Positioned upon the outer face of the rail key 12 is an L-shaped locking key 15, constructed of malleable material, and inter osed between the disengaged face of the loc 'ing key 15 and theA inclined wall of the recess 10 is a wedge key 16. This wedge key is provided with an langular bodyportion and a head 17 adapted for engagement with the flattened surface 6 of the, tie. The projecting finger of the locking 4key 15 is adapted to be bent over the head 17 of the wedge 16, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and thus effectively secure t-lie rails and the fasteners upon the tie.

From the above description it will be seen that we have provided a novel construction of rail ties, one in which the rails are quickly and securely positioned upon the ties, and by which, should it be desired, the fastening elements may be readily removed and the rail disconnected from the tie. It will be also noted that by providing a hollow tie having its head rounded, except at the flattened portions engaged by the rails, and its sides inclined outwardly towards its base, that we have provided a tie which will afford means whereby the ballast or road bed between the ties willact as a substantial wedge and thus prevent upward or other movement of the ties. By arranging the walls 5 upon the ends of the ties, it will be seen that we have effectively provided means for preventing tlie entrance of ballast wit-hin the hollow tie.

I'Iavinfr thus fully described our invention what is claimed as new is:

1. A metallic rail tie comprising a hollow element having a rounded top provided with flattened rail receiving portions, outwardly iiifisned sides, a flat base, and partially closed en osp 2. A hollow metallic tie comprising a. l engaging the rail-key, awe'clge lie engaging rounded top having flattened receiving porthe loeklng key and tlie incliner welll, the 1;,

tions, li )s upon said flattened portions vertical projecting portion of the locking-key adapted or the reception of one edge of the l adapted to be bent over the wedge key to buse lnngc of rails, the let-tened portion secure the fastening devices and the rails being provided with longitudinal recesses upon the tie.y adjacent the opposite edges of the base flange In testimonyv whereof we afiix our signa- 20 of the rails, the recesses being provided with tures in presence of two witnesses.

vertical side walls, and inclined end walls WILLIAM H. MAYER.

und their outer walls being provided wit-l1 IRA O. BURCH.

ollsets, a mil key adapted to enga ge the inner Witnesses: edges of the base flanges of the rails and the C. H. BANE,

ollsets of the wall, an L-shsped looking key J. C. EPPERsoN. 

